A threshold model of plastic waste fragmentation: new insights into the distribution of microplastics in the ocean and its evolution over time - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Marine Pollution Bulletin Année : 2024

A threshold model of plastic waste fragmentation: new insights into the distribution of microplastics in the ocean and its evolution over time

Matthieu George
Frédéric Nallet
Pascale Fabre

Résumé

Plastic pollution in the aquatic environment has been assessed for many years by ocean waste collection expeditions around the globe or by river sampling. While the total amount of plastic produced worldwide is well documented, the amount of plastic found in the ocean, the distribution of particles on its surface and its evolution over time are still the subject of much debate. In this article, we propose a general fragmentation model, postulating the existence of a critical size below which particle fragmentation becomes extremely unlikely. In the frame of this model, an abundance peak appears for sizes around 1mm, in agreement with real environmental data. Using, in addition, a realistic exponential waste feed to the ocean, we discuss the relative impact of fragmentation and feed rates, and the temporal evolution of microplastics (MP) distribution. New conclusions on the temporal trend of MP pollution are drawn.
Fichier principal
Vignette du fichier
2307.04162v2.pdf (399.66 Ko) Télécharger le fichier
Origine : Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s)
Licence : CC BY NC SA - Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale - Partage selon les Conditions Initiales

Dates et versions

hal-04399066 , version 1 (17-01-2024)

Licence

Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale - Partage selon les Conditions Initiales

Identifiants

Citer

Matthieu George, Frédéric Nallet, Pascale Fabre. A threshold model of plastic waste fragmentation: new insights into the distribution of microplastics in the ocean and its evolution over time. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2024, 199, pp.116012. ⟨10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.116012⟩. ⟨hal-04399066⟩
110 Consultations
58 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More